Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman; Video Interview

Selected Song: NEVERWHERE by Fiction 8

Neverwhere - Fiction 8

Hardcover
352 pages
William Morrow & Company
ISBN: 9780380973637

This tale of adventure and intrigue finds Richard Mayhew, a Scottish businessman who works in London, caught up in an everyday routine of his mundane life. That is, until one night when out on the town he discovers an injured girl on the sidewalk. After he decides to help, his days of the rat race burrow their way into the tunnels of an alternate underground "London Below" where he embarks on an incredible and perilous journey. It's here where he meets many friendly, yet unusual and quirky, characters among others who would see him dead if not for their own agendas and his new friends escorting him to where they and he need to go. He travels to many strange locales unlike he's ever imagined and while there seeks help in his challenges from those who offer assistance, but he questions their motives. Neverwhere is filled with mystery, humor and, at times, is thought provoking, as Richard Mayhew has lessons to learn and knowledge to gain before finding his way back to "London Above" and then deciding if that's where he's meant to be.

China's High-Speed-Rail Revolution

The world’s fastest rail line, clocked at 245 miles per hour, is located in China and has greatly surpassed France’s high-speed train. There are more trains on the way for China, one being a massive project nearing 300 billion dollars that would connect all of their major cities by 2020. A director of the Global Rail Innovation Center says, "Over the next five years there'll be more high-speed rail added in China than the rest of the world combined.” High-speed rails are eco-friendly and will also accommodate a larger number of passengers. This number is expected to triple to five billion by 2020. The WuGuang will have 625 bridges and 221 tunnels that will demand construction costs of $17 billion.

The U.S. will soon be on board with a high-speed train as The California High Speed Rail Authority is investing $10 billion for a 790 mile system to link Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. This will reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions by nine million tons by 2050. Amtrak could also be on track in getting its Acela Express service from Boston to New York City.

In my novel, Helen and The Hunter, there's a high-speed railway connecting the city to several towns.

The full article on China's High-Speed-Rail Revolution

Read my other posting titled Steam Train Powered by Vegetable Oil; Video

Articles on Technology and Ecology

The 21st century will see many new innovations in technology and ecological achievements. My novel, HELEN AND THE HUNTER, has these themes in certain chapters and that's one of the reasons I'll be posting on them. There's also much to discover in learning about the new ways that people, societies and the environment will benefit due to the study and application of modern and future efforts.

Various technology websites also include the ecological side of scientific pursuits and I'll be writing about the articles that are both intriguing and entertaining. Below each will be a link to the full article where there is, on average, three to four pages written on that topic. Of my chosen articles, I'll give the highlights and summary, and also at the beginning, tell in what way it relates to my novel. Not every article will tie-in to one of my novel's themes, but many will.

Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock

Selected Song: TOCCATA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR by Johann Sebastian Bach

Toccata and Fugue in D minor -...

Paperback
320 pages
Berkley Trade
ISBN: 9780425227541

Francesca Marinelli returns in this sequel to La Vida Vampire where she meets a new member of the clan, Jo-Jo the Jester, a stranger from the Atlanta vampire nest. He arrives in St. Augustine seeking sanctuary and a few willing ears to hear his jokes, as he is a budding stand-up comic. What isn't so funny, aside from his initial bad jokes, is that a psychotic vampire with a murderous agenda has followed Jo-Jo to Florida, putting everyone close to Francesca in danger. (First paragraph paraphrased from book cover).
Saber, the vampire slayer, is also back as Cesca's companion and protector and has a secret of his own, as does Triton, her one time love interest. Despite the hectic situations, Cesca still finds time to give her ghost tours of the Ancient City, surf and shop at Wal-Mart. New characters are introduced, some quirky, others menacing and all are out to give Cesca the answers she needs whether she wants to know them or not.

Florida Books: Fiction and Non-Fiction

Selected Song: FLORIDA by Miami House Club

Florida - Miami House Club

These are some of the Florida themed books I have in my collection. Each are interesting as they are either compilations of short fiction, novels, weird and interesting facts, or based on an exploration of the state's parks and historical sites, as written about by Lucy Beebe Tobias. Her website is lucytobias.com.




Florida has had a rich and diverse history since the time of the Native Americans who inhabited the land and some of its cities have native names such as Miami, Tampa, Tallahassee and Pensacola. Other well known locations are Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Daytona, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Fernandina, Gainesville and Boca Raton. In 1513, the Spanish conquistador, Juan Ponce de León, explored Florida giving it the name for the land's abundance of flowers.

Great Books On Writing; 10 Tips from the Masters

Selected Song: FICTION by The Parties

Fiction - The Parties

These six books are excellent resources for any writer wanting to improve upon the writing, editng and eventual promotion of their work!

Among these 10 writing tips are quotes from the masters (see link below) who include, William Wordsworth, Mark Twain, William Strunk Jr., Ray Bradbury, John Irving and others.

1. Cut the boring parts
2. Eliminate unnecessary words
3. Write with passion
4. Paint a picture
5. Keep it simple
6. Do it for love
7. Learn to thrive on criticism
8. Write all the time
9. Write what you know … or what you want to know
10. Be unique and unpredictable

This article The Art of Writing elborates on these points.

Writing Goals for 2010

It's a new year and the start of many writing opportunities. Most people at some point during their day will write something, even if it's signing their name. The interent has become an integral part of everyday business and also for personal use. Due to this ever-developing trends, there will always be a need to write, more than ever before, in this new century of digital communication. Every time thoughts and ideas are e-mailed, posted and twittered out into the world of the web that's another opportunity of building and strengething writing skills, no matter how trivial it might seem.

The writing goals of some might be to e-mail, connect on social networks, blog, instant message, or venture into a journal or even a manuscript. While there can, and most times should, be a balance of how much time is spent writing in any of these web venues, it's the process of actively thinking of and conveying what it is that needs to be said. This in itself can be a writing goal out of the neccessity of concise communication in saving time and strengthening prose, no matter what the topic or intended audience.

For those who write to also promote their work it's a great advantage to maintain your social networking sites, such as facebook, twitter, blogger, and the many others available. From the need of having to write new material daily or weekly setting goals is a great start. Goals, even a checklist, facilitates a flow of thought and organization that can get lost in the hectic world of the interent. Having a plan and following through is a great way to achieve your writing goals no matter how dauntnig they might be.